Eastern Cape Biodiversity Conservation Plan Handbook

Transcription

1 Eastern Cape Biodiversity Conservation Plan Handbook

2 Eastern Cape Biodiversity Conservation Plan Handbook Compiled by Amanda Younge Hayes and written by Derek Berliner, Philip Desmet and Richard Hayes. Department of Water Affairs and Forestry Project No , King William s Town. August ISBN The Eastern Cape Biodiversity Conservation Plan (ECBCP) is available in two versions: on posters (wall maps) and electronically. Posters showing the ECBCP are available for each District Municipality and for the whole Province. An electronic version of the ECBCP and the associated decision support system is contained on the CD (a copy of which is included in this handbook). A web-enabled version of the ECBCP is available from the website 1. This Handbook contains a short description of how the ECBCP biodiversity priorities were identified, an explanation of the land use guidelines in the ECBCP, and userfriendly guidelines for using the electronic decision support system of the ECBCP. More information is available from the ECBCP Technical Report (Berliner, D. & Desmet, P. 2007). Please note that the boundaries of the Province and of the Alfred Nzo District Municipality shown on the ECBCP maps may have changed since this document went to press. Readers of this book are encouraged to consult the STEP Handbook (Pierce, S.M. and Mader, A.D. 2006), which contains complementary information, especially for municipalities, on understanding and managing for environmental sustainability, tools and legislation for environmentally sustainable planning and management, and land reform and the natural environment. Disclaimer: While every endeavour has been made to ensure the accuracy of the ECBCP, the authors and designers hold no responsibility for any inaccuracies, injuries or financial loss that may result therefrom. 1 Please note that the website address of the ECBCP may change. If this occurs, please consult DEDEA or DWAF (contact details at the back of this Handbook) for further information. 2

3 Preface The Eastern Cape is globally recognised for its high biodiversity value and scenic beauty. It has the highest biome diversity of any province, with no less than seven biomes: Forest, Fynbos, Nama Karoo, Savanna, Succulent Karoo and Thicket. The Province is also unique among provinces in that it overlaps with three centers of biological endemism: the Albany Centre, the Drakensberg Centre and the Pondoland Centre (Fig. 1). At the same time, it has some of the highest levels of rural poverty in the country, with low employment rates, rural poverty and underdevelopment. The Province is currently facing unprecedented pressure from unplanned development, urban and agricultural expansion, mining, illegal holiday cottages, and over-harvesting of natural resources. All of these pressures have the potential to rapidly erode the natural resource base. There is thus an obligation for government on the one hand to promote rural development poverty alleviation and service delivery, and on the other hand to ensure that the rich natural capital of the Province is sustainably used and conserved such that both current and future generations may benefit. Recognising the need to ensure that these important natural resources are conserved, the Department of Economic Development and Environment Affairs (DEDEA) together with the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (DWAF) have collaborated to draw up the Eastern Cape Biodiversity Conservation Plan (ECBCP). Funding for this project was generously provided by the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA), DWAF and the Eastern Cape Parks Board. The ECBCP addresses the urgent need to identify and map critical biodiversity areas and priorities for conservation in the Province. It also provides land use planning guidelines, recommending biodiversity-friendly activities in priority areas. The ECBCP is intended for use by technical users and decision-makers in the spheres of planning, development and environment. Mapped information can be used both reactively and strategically to guide future development away from sensitive and priority biodiversity areas. 3

4 Figure 1: Centres and region of plant endemism occurring within the Eastern Cape (after Van Wyk & Smith, 2001) Box 1: Why conserve biodiversity? Biodiversity provides us with clean water, air and soil, as well as medicinal plants, fuelwood, food products (from fishing, hunting and veldkos), building materials and grazing. Plant roots stabilise the soil and prevent erosion. All of these are vitally important for human wellbeing. Biodiversity also contributes significantly to rural livelihoods. The scenic beauty of the Province provides valuable products for the tourism and wildlife industry, with potential to generate considerable economic revenue from nature reserves, game farms and hunting lodges. At the global scale, we depend on nature, particularly forests, to absorb the carbon dioxide that we generate, and to regulate the climate. All of these resources depend directly on biodiversity. For more on conserving biodiversity, see the STEP handbook (second edition). Important note All technical terms used are explained in the Glossary at the end of this Handbook. Please note that in this report, the word transformation refers to the process where natural vegetation is replaced with cultivation, urban development, plantations etc, and biodiversity and ecological processes are thus irreversibly destroyed. 4

5 Table of Contents Introduction 6 Chapter 1: Identifying Critical Biodiversity Areas in the Eastern Cape What are Critical Biodiversity Areas? Why identify Critical Biodiversity Areas? How were CBAs identified in the ECBCP? How should the ECBCP be used in land use planning? Is the ECBCP a bioregional plan? 14 Chapter 2: Land Use Guidelines Land use planning principles Biodiversity Land Management Classes? Land use objectives for Terrestrial BLMCs Which land uses should be allowed in each BLMC? Guidelines for aquatic ecosystems Limiting transformation in CBA catchments Assessing the impact of a development on an ABLMC Guidelines for riverine, wetland and estuarine buffers 24 Chapter 3: How to Use the ECBCP Decision Support System: MapInfo User Guide Introduction A note on terminology Before you start Installing MapInfo on your Machine Installing from a CD Downloading your MapInfo from the Internet Navigating Around MapInfo Button Bar Menus Right Click Pop Up Menus Using MapInfo How do I find a town? How do I find a municipality? Using the Info Tool How do I find a specific property? How do I find a site using longitude and latitude? How do I find a specific rural community? Finding the extent of transformation in a catchment Creating a Report Printing a map directly Cutting and pasting Enclosing a MapInfo object in a Word document 44 Chapter 4: How to Use the ECBCP Decision Support System: Website User Guide Introduction Opening page Screen Components Toolbars and Controls Navigation and Map Use Methods of navigation Map use 48 References and Information Resources 50 Acronyms 51 Glossary 52 Acknowledgements 57

6 Introduction This Handbook provides information on the ECBCP and contains guidelines on how to use it. Although a number of landscape-scale conservation planning projects had been undertaken in the Eastern Cape prior to the ECBCP 2, there were large areas of the Province that were excluded. In addition, much of the information in these plans was not readily available to land use planners and decision-makers. To address these needs, as well as to provide a basis for future bioregional plans, the ECBCP has been developed. Its aim is to integrate information from existing biodiversity plans and to fill in the gaps, thereby providing a single, user friendly, biodiversity land use decision support tool for the whole Province. Chapter 1 provides a brief explanation of Critical Biodiversity Areas and how they were identified. It also explains the relationship between the ECBCP and Bioregional Plans. Chapter 2 sets out the ECBCP land use guidelines and explains how to apply them. Chapters 3 and 4 contain instructions and guidelines for using the electronic decision support system of the ECBCP. Box 2: What is a Biodiversity Conservation Plan? Some areas have higher levels of biodiversity than others. These 'higher levels' may include larger numbers of species or ecosystems, large numbers of threatened species, or ecological processes that are crucial for the long-term persistence of biodiversity. A spatial biodiversity conservation plan takes this variability into account by collating and mapping information about: Biodiversity features (species, ecosystems, ecological processes); Existing protected areas; Current patterns of land use; Potential and conflicting patterns of land use. These mapped features can be linked for further analysis using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to identify areas of highest biodiversity importance and to determine priority areas for action. Spatial planning can occur at a variety of scales. The National Spatial Biodiversity Assessment (NSBA) (Driver, et al, 2005) was done at a broad scale and does not yield information suitable for site-scale land use decisions for a municipality or for a specific river or catchment. The finer scale ECBCP is suitable for use at municipal level, because the underlying data on biodiversity features in the Province were recorded and mapped at a finer scale than the national data used in the NSBA. However, the ECBCP data is still fairly coarse, and when assessing a development application it is essential to verify the information on the ECBCP map(s) with a site visit. Source: Ferrar, and Lötter, These include the STEP, the NSBA, DWAF Forest Conservation Planning, Wild Coast Conservation Plan, Pondoland Systematic Conservation Plan, the planning phases of C.A.P.E, SKEP and the Grasslands Programmes and the Maloti Drakensberg Transfrontier project. 6

7 Chapter 1: Identifying Critical Biodiversity Areas in the Eastern Cape Philip Desmet, Derek Berliner and Amanda Younge Hayes 1.1 What are Critical Biodiversity Areas? Critical Biodiversity Areas (CBAs) are terrestrial and aquatic features in the landscape that are critical for conserving biodiversity and maintaining ecosystem functioning. 1.2 Why identify Critical Biodiversity Areas? In terms of the Biodiversity Act (Act 10 of 2004), the Minister or the MEC for environmental affairs in a province may determine a geographic region as a bioregion for the purposes of the Act and publish a plan for the management of biodiversity in that region. This plan is termed a bioregional plan, and must contain measures for the effective management of biodiversity in the region. A bioregional plan must contain a map of CBAs, including terrestrial and aquatic features and ecological corridors. The map must show four main categories: Existing protected areas Critical biodiversity areas (for example, threatened ecosystems, ecological corridors; special habitats, wetlands and priority sub-catchments) Other natural habitat Areas where no natural habitat remains. A bioregional plan must contain, amongst other things, guidelines for land-use planning and decision-making, linked to the features and categories on the map. 1.3 How were CBAs identified in the ECBCP? The ECBCP developed two maps, one showing terrestrial (land-based) CBAs (see Fig. 2), and the other showing aquatic (freshwater) CBAs (Fig. 3). The map of terrestrial CBAs was compiled by undertaking a systematic biodiversity planning analysis (see Box 3) and adding all biodiversity priority areas identified by other systematic biodiversity planning projects (such as STEP) in the Province. Aquatic CBAs were identified on the basis of sub-quaternary catchments, addressing the linkages between catchments, important rivers and sensitive estuaries. Priorities were identified through a systematic conservation planning analysis. Table 1 shows how the various biodiversity features were used to define terrestrial and aquatic CBAs. For a more detailed explanation, please consult the ECBCP Technical Report. 7

8 Figure 2: Map of Terrestrial Critical Biodiversity Areas Figure 3: Map of Aquatic Critical Biodiversity Areas 8

9 Box 3: What is Systematic Biodiversity Planning? The process of identifying spatial biodiversity priorities in the ECBCP is based on the systematic biodiversity planning approach of Margules and Pressey (2000), also referred to as systematic conservation planning. The underlying principle is to identify representative samples of biodiversity that are located where they can persist over the long term. A target must be set for each biodiversity feature, so that it is clear how much biodiversity needs to be protected. This target tells us how much of the feature needs to be maintained or conserved in order for it to persist and contribute to ecosystem functioning. Steps in Systematic Biodiversity Planning (Margules & Pressey 2000) Systematic biodiversity planning involves a sequence of procedures: 1. Select and collate the biodiversity features and surrogates to be used in the planning area. 2. Formulate explicit conservation goals that can be expressed as quantifiable biodiversity targets. 3. Review the extent to which goals have been met in existing protected areas. 4. Use systematic methods to identify additional areas that should be protected or conserved in order to meet the remainder of the biodiversity targets (that are not currently protected). 5. Identify, prioritise and implement conservation actions on the ground. 6. Manage and monitor (adaptive management) to maintain biodiversity features. Systematic biodiversity planning is currently at a more advanced stage for terrestrial than for aquatic ecosystems. As a result, such plans are usually done separately. Main source: Ferrar, and Lötter,

10 Table 1: Criteria used to map CBAs and other categories in the ECBCP Category Code Features used to define categories Protected Areas: Protected area 1 Protected area 2 PA1 PA2 Statutory protected areas. They include all national parks and provincial nature reserves. Non-statutory protected areas: municipal and private conservation areas. Terrestrial Critical Biodiversity Areas: Terrestrial CBA 1 T1 T2 Terrestrial CBA 2 C1 C2 Aquatic Critical Biodiversity Areas: A1 Aquatic CBA 1 E1 A2a Aquatic CBA 2 A2b E2 A3a Aquatic CBA 3 A3b Critically endangered vegetation types (ecosystems) identified though ECBCP the systematic conservation assessment Critically endangered vegetations types from STEP Critically endangered forest patches in terms of the National Forest Assessment Areas essential for meeting biodiversity targets for biodiversity features (SA vegetation types, expert mapped priority areas) KZN systematic conservation planning priorities Forest clusters identified as critical in the forestry planning process (Berliner et al 2006) Endangered vegetation types identified through the ECBCP systematic conservation assessment Endangered vegetations types from STEP Endangered forest patches in terms of the National Forest Assessment All expert-mapped areas less than ha in size (includes expert data from this project, STEP birds, SKEP, Wild Coast, Pondoland and marine studies) All other forest clusters (includes 500m buffers) 1km coastal buffer strip Ecological corridors identified in other studies (e.g. from STEP, Wild Coast, Pondoland, WMA 12 SEA, etc.) and corridors mapped by experts Ecological corridors identified by the ECBCP using an integrated corridor design for the whole Province Critically important river sub-catchments, and all wetlands Critically important estuaries Important sub-catchments Free-flowing rivers important for fish migration Important estuaries Hydrological primary catchment management areas for E1 estuaries Hydrological primary catchment management areas for E2 estuaries 10

11 Category Code Features used to define categories Other Map Categories: Other Natural Areas ONA T3 ONA Vulnerable vegetation types identified through the ECBCP systematic conservation assessment Vulnerable vegetation types from STEP All remaining natural areas not included in the above CBA categories Transformed land TF Urban and rural settlements, cultivated lands and plantations Note: Degradation appears as an overlay in the terrestrial CBA maps. Box 4: How was the ECBCP developed? The approach used to develop the ECBCP is known as systematic conservation planning or systematic biodiversity planning. This approach relies both on data and the wisdom of experts. (See Box 3: What Is Systematic Biodiversity Planning?) The approach used to develop the ECBCP can be summarised as follows: a) Aquatic and terrestrial data available for the Province were assembled and integrated; b) A land cover map for the Province was produced; c) Planning units were identified for terrestrial, freshwater and estuarine areas; d) Experts assisted with mapping special biodiversity features such as known locations of rare and endangered species and ecological corridors; e) An assessment of land use pressures was undertaken, combining a number of factors such as agricultural potential, development pressure, ecological integrity etc; f) Priority areas that were identified by other sub provincial conservation planning projects in the Province were included; g) Systematic conservation planning software was used to identify terrestrial and aquatic areas that are critical for conserving biodiversity and maintaining ecosystem functioning. These areas are termed Critical Biodiversity Areas (CBAs). The process included identifying landscape corridors linking biodiversity priority areas through a Province-wide network; h) CBAs were grouped into Biodiversity Land Management Classes and objectives formulated for each class. The products included in the ECBCP are: A map of CBAs (terrestrial and aquatic) for the Province, including explicit provincial ecological corridors (as well as associated GIS layers) A land cover map for the Province A map of existing protected areas A degradation and land transformation map A human population density map An ecosystem status map 11

12 A map of subsistence resource use pressure A map of land use pressures Special biodiversity features as mapped by experts Rare and threatened species maps A description of regionally important ecological processes Priority water catchments and ecosystem service areas Maps of terrestrial and aquatic Biodiversity Land Management Classes (BLMC) Land use planning and decision-making guidelines linked to BLMCs. This information and analysis is integrated into the ECBCP decision support system, (see Chapters 3 and 4). For more information, see the ECBCP Technical Report (Berliner, D. & Desmet, P. 2007). Box 5: Eastern Cape Land Cover A land cover map describes the land surface, showing urban areas, cultivated areas, plantations, natural areas etc. The Provincial land cover map drawn up for the ECBCP integrates all available land cover products for the Province into a single product (Fig. 4) Figure 4: Eastern Cape Land Cover 12

13 Box 6: Ecosystem Status The ECBCP identified ecosystems in the Province that are critically endangered, endangered and vulnerable, based on the extent to which ecosystems have been transformed or degraded. These are shown in Fig. 5. Section 52 of the Biodiversity Act provides for the listing of threatened ecosystems at both national and provincial level. Ecosystem status refers to the likelihood of an ecosystem persisting. Ecosystems that are Critically Endangered, Endangered on Vulnerable can be listed in terms of the Biodiversity Act. For example, Critically Endangered ecosystems are defined in the act as being ecosystems that have undergone severe degradation of ecological structure, function or composition as a result of human intervention and are subject to an extremely high risk of irreversible transformation. Importantly, any land-use change application occurring within an ecosystem listed as Critically Endangered or Endangered in terms of the Biodiversity Act will automatically require environmental authorisation in terms of the NEMA EIA regulations. Figure 5: Ecosystem Status 13

14 1.4 How should the ECBCP be used in land use planning? The ECBCP is a broad-scale biodiversity plan. It integrates other existing broad-scale biodiversity plans in the Province, and fills in the gaps using mainly national data. (The ECBCP did not generate additional fine-scale data.) The ECBCP has no legal status. However, it has been designed to serve as the basic biodiversity layer in Strategic Environmental Assessments, State of Environment Reports, SDFs, EMFs and Bioregional Plans. It conforms to the requirements of the Draft Guideline regarding the Determination of Bioregions and the Preparation and Publication of Bioregional Plans (DEAT and SANBI 2007), as it contains maps of terrestrial and aquatic CBAs, as well as suggested land use guidelines. The ECBCP maps of CBAs will also be useful in determining which areas of the province most urgently require fine-scale biodiversity planning. According to the Draft Guideline, local and district municipalities should integrate critical biodiversity areas in the relevant bioregional plan into their Integrated Development Plans (IDPs) and Spatial Development Frameworks (SDFs), and should also integrate critical biodiversity areas and other relevant guidelines and recommendations from the bioregional plan into Environmental Management Frameworks (EMFs) and zoning schemes. In addition: The integrated map of planning zones or categories in the SDF should reflect the critical biodiversity areas in an appropriately restrictive planning zone or category. The map and guidelines should be meaningfully incorporated in any EMFs developed for the area, as well as in any provincial maps developed to supplement the NEMA EIA regulations. The map and guidelines should be referred in all EIAs and should be consulted in the decision-making process for all land-use authorisations. 1.5 Is the ECBCP a bioregional plan? The ECBCP itself is not a Bioregional Plan. However, because it identifies CBAs and provides land use guidelines, it will be a key input to future bioregional plans in the Province. For more information on bioregional plans, consult the Draft Guideline (DEAT and SANBI, 2007). 14

15 Chapter 2: Land Use Guidelines Derek Berliner, Philip Desmet and Amanda Younge Hayes This chapter sets out guidelines on how to use and apply the ECBCP in land use decision-making so as to avoid or minimize negative impacts in CBAs and important water catchments in the Province. 3 Because the vast majority of CBAs fall outside the protected area network in the Province, the ECBCP provides guidelines for land use planning and decision-making across the whole Province. These guidelines recommend appropriate land uses and suggest limits on the extent of development in CBAs. These guidelines can be used both in assessing applications and developing forward plans (e.g. Spatial Development Frameworks). 2.1 Land use planning principles The ECBCP land use guidelines are based on ten principles, described in Box 7. Box 7: Ten principles of land use planning for biodiversity persistence 1. Avoid land use that results in vegetation loss in critical biodiversity areas. 2. Maintain large intact natural patches try to minimize habitat fragmentation in critical biodiversity areas 3. Maintain landscape connections (ecological corridors) that connect critical biodiversity areas. 4. Maintain ecological processes at all scales, and avoid or compensate for any effects of land uses on ecological processes. 5. Plan for long-term change and unexpected events, in particular those predicted for global climate change. 6. Plan for cumulative impacts and knock-on effects. 7. Minimize the introduction and spread of non-native species. 8. Minimize land use types that reduce ecological resilience (ability to adapt to change), particularly at the level of water catchments. 9. Implement land use and land management practices that are compatible with the natural potential of the area 10. Balance opportunity for human and economic development with the requirements for biodiversity persistence. 3 Note that the guidelines provided here only apply to biodiversity and ecosystem concerns, and do not address infrastructural, social, economic and other factors that may need to be taken into account in making a land use decision. These guidelines do not replace the need for EIAs, which would still be triggered in terms of the law. 15

16 2.2 Biodiversity Land Management Classes For successful implementation of the ECBCP, the CBAs need to be incorporated at all levels of spatial development planning (e.g. Spatial Development Frameworks, Integrated Development Plans and Environmental Management Frameworks), as well as in any provincial maps developed to supplement the NEMA EIA regulations. Bioregional Plans are based on identifying CBAs and associated land use guidelines. To facilitate the use of the ECBCP information, a land management objectives-based approach has been adopted. This approach rests on the concept of Biodiversity Land Management Classes (BLMCs). Each BLMC sets out the desired ecological state that an area should be kept in to ensure biodiversity persistence 4. For example, BLMC 1 refers to areas which are critical for biodiversity persistence and ecosystem functioning, and which should be kept in as natural a condition as possible. The ECBCP has developed four terrestrial Biodiversity Land Management Classes (BLMCs), which result from grouping the various terrestrial CBAs, and two aquatic BLMCs (ABLMCs), which result from grouping the various aquatic CBAs. This grouping is set out in Table 2. Terrestrial BLMCs set out the desired ecological state of a parcel of land. Only land use types that are compatible with maintaining this desired state should be allowed. Aquatic BLMCs set out suggested catchment transformation thresholds. These are a set of recommended permissible upper limits to the loss of natural vegetation cover in each sub-quaternary catchment. 4 BLMCs can be applied at the scale of habitat patch, landscape or catchment. 6 Variations in local environmental conditions and the kinds of activities associated with the land use in question will influence how severely biodiversity is affected by each land use. 16

17 Table 2. How do BLMCs relate to CBAs? CBA map category Code BLMC Terrestrial CBAs and BLMCs: Protected Areas Terrestrial CBA 1 (not degraded) PA1 PA2 T1 BLMC 1 Natural landscapes Terrestrial CBA 1 (degraded) T1 Terrestrial CBA 2 T2 C1 BLMC 2 Near-natural landscapes C2 Other Natural Areas ONA T3 ONA BLMC 3 Functional landscapes Transformed Areas TF BLMC 4 Transformed landscapes Aquatic CBAs and BLMCs: A1 Aquatic CBA 1 E1 A3a ABLMC 1 Natural state Aquatic CBA 2 A2a E2 ABLMC 2a Near natural state Aquatic CBA 3 A3b Aquatic CBA 2 A2b ABLMC 2b Near natural state The process of identifying CBAs avoided degraded areas wherever possible. However, this was not always possible, as some biodiversity features had little or no intact biodiversity left. In these cases, important remaining (degraded) areas that would have the potential to regain a CBA1 status through rehabilitation were identified as CBA 1. However, in classifying them as BLMCs, these degraded CBA1 areas were assigned a BLMC 2 classification. The ECBCP allocates the whole landscape of the Eastern Cape into BLMCs, based on how biodiversity should be managed there i.e. in accordance with its CBA status. Fig. 6 shows the terrestrial BLMCs, while Fig 7 shows aquatic BLMCs for the Province. 17

18 Figure 6: Eastern Cape Terrestrial BLMCs Figure 7: Eastern Cape Aquatic BLMCs 18

19 The ECBCP sets management objectives and broad land use guidelines for each terrestrial BLMC, and catchment transformation thresholds for each ABLMC. 2.3 Land use objectives for Terrestrial BLMCs A decision to approve a land use change should be guided by the objective of the BLMC for that land. In the same way, forward planning in an area should also be guided by the objectives of the BLMCs for that area. Table 3 sets out the Terrestrial BLMCs and the recommended land use objective for each class. Table 3: Terrestrial BLMCs and Land Use Objectives BLMC BLMC 1: Natural landscapes BLMC 2: Near natural landscapes BLMC 3: Functional landscapes BLMC 4: Transformed landscapes Recommended land use objective Maintain biodiversity in as natural state as possible. Manage for no biodiversity loss. Maintain biodiversity in near natural state with minimal loss of ecosystem integrity. No transformation of natural habitat should be permitted. Manage for sustainable development, keeping natural habitat intact in wetlands (including wetland buffers) and riparian zones. Environmental authorisations should support ecosystem integrity. Manage for sustainable development. Box 8: Why preserve natural ecological corridors? Natural ecological corridors such as rivers and mountains sustain the natural landscape by providing pathways for species to travel between different areas, and by protecting water catchments. Ecological corridors are a crucial part of the ecological infrastructure of the Province, and are as important as the built infrastructure of roads, highways, ports and so on. These natural corridors are often best suited for grazing, and only small portions should be ploughed or developed for settlement. For more information on corridors, see the STEP handbook (second edition) Which land uses should be allowed in each BLMC? Some land use types have a much greater negative impact on biodiversity than others. For instance, timber plantations and urban settlement are much more damaging to biodiversity than livestock and low-impact tourism activities 6. To further guide land use decision-making, the ECBCP recommends permissible land use types for each terrestrial BLMC (see Table 4), based on the impact of these land uses on biodiversity. It should be noted that this list does not include every possible form of land use. Even within a land use type, there are variations in the intensity and impact on biodiversity, and these too cannot be included here. These guidelines are not able to provide this level of detail, but instead provide a broad framework to assess proposals for land use change. 19

20 Table 4 also calls attention to land use changes that require environmental authorization (e.g. an EIA). These are listed as conditional. Table 4: Recommended Permissible Land Uses for Terrestrial BLMCs Abbreviations: No = not recommended; Yes = recommended; Conditional = Approval conditional on environmental authorisation. Biodiversity Land Management Class Land use BLMC 1 BLMC 2 BLMC 3 BLMC 4 Conservation Yes Yes Yes Yes Game farming No Yes Yes Yes Communal livestock No Yes Yes Yes Commercial livestock ranching No No Yes Yes Dry land cropping No No Conditional Yes Irrigated cropping No No Conditional Yes Dairy farming No No Conditional Yes Timber No No Conditional Yes Settlement No No Conditional Yes Box 9: Restoration and rehabilitation of biodiversity Ecological restoration and rehabilitation is difficult to achieve and can be expensive, depending on the ecosystem and vegetation type involved. However, if funding is available, it would make sense to focus restoration and rehabilitation efforts especially on CBA 1 areas that have been identified as degraded. (Degraded areas are shown as a hatched overlay in the MapInfo version of the EBCP.) To provide a finer level of detail, the ECBCP suggests acceptable, unacceptable and conditional forms of land use for each BLMC, and hence for each of the CBAs linked to that BLMC. These are shown in Table 5. 20

21 Table 5: Recommended Permissible Land Uses for Terrestrial CBAs and BLMCs Abbreviations Yes = permitted, No = not permitted, Conditional = Approval conditional on environmental authorization. CBA Map Category Protected Areas Critical Biodiversit y Area 1 Critical Biodiversit y Area 2 Other Natural Areas Areas with No Natural Habitat Code (See Table 1 for more details) PA1 PA2 T1 T2, C1, C2 ONA & ONA T3 TF BLMC Conservation Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Game farming No Conditional Conditional Yes Yes Yes Communal livestock No No No Yes Yes Yes Commercial livestock No No No No Yes Yes Dry land cropping No No No No Conditional Yes Irrigated cropping No No No No Conditional Yes Dairy farming No No No No Conditional Yes Timber No No No No Conditional Yes Settlement No No No No Conditional Yes Box 10: A cautionary note! Always verify the information with a site visit: The ECBCP is based on the best available data and methods, but it is not a fine-scale plan. In addition, the data is not always 100% accurate. This means that when a development application is assessed, or when a forward plan is developed, it is crucially important to conduct site visits to check the information on the ground. The ECBCP is not a substitute for a full evaluation: These guidelines will help with identifying appropriate land uses for each BLMC. However, land use decisionmaking for biodiversity conservation is complex and involves many variables that cannot be fully represented within a simple matrix. There is still a need to assess each application and proposed land use type fully against appropriate objectives and criteria. By way of example, consider the case of game farming within a critical biodiversity area designated as an ecological corridor. Although game farms are generally considered to be a relatively biodiversity friendly form of land use, they must by law be fenced. These fences restrict animal movement, and can compromise the functionality of the ecological corridor, resulting in a conflict with biodiversity persistence objectives. Any application for game farming in a terrestrial BLMC 2 area should still be reviewed thoroughly to assess any likely negative impacts. The ECBCP should not be used for urban and fine-scale planning: The ECBCP provides a broad framework to assess proposals for land use change and to develop forward plans and fine scale plans. The information it contains is not at a scale suitable for fine scale planning and urban planning. 21

22 2.4 Guidelines for aquatic ecosystems Limiting transformation in CBA catchments Land-use planning needs to take into account the linkages between catchments, important rivers and sensitive estuaries. Ad hoc land transformation can result in fragmented landscapes and loss of ecosystem connectivity. When landscapes are transformed beyond certain critical thresholds, ecological processes such as fire and the water cycle show dramatic changes. Transformation of catchments also results in loss in stream flow and a decline in water quality (through increased sedimentation and agricultural chemicals run off). This can damage estuaries, many of which are important CBAs. As with terrestrial CBAs, aquatic CBAs are grouped into BLMCs (see Table 2). Fig. 7 shows the Aquatic BLMCs (ABLMCs) as identified in the ECBCP. The ECBCP recommends limits (thresholds) to the total amount of land transformation that should be allowed in an ABLMC 1 and 2, if biodiversity is to be conserved. The goal is to maintain sufficiently large intact and well-connected habitat patches in each sub-quaternary catchment, to prevent the consequences outlined above. For example, when an estuary is identified as a CBA 1 (E1), the sub-quaternary catchments that supply this estuary with fresh water should not be transformed too heavily. Recommended catchment transformation thresholds for each ABLMC are set out in Table 6. Table 6: Suggested transformation thresholds ABLMC CBA Code Description of CBAs ABLMC 1 A1; A3a Critically important river subcatchments; Priority primary catchments for E1 estuaries ABLMC 2a A2a, A3b Important sub-catchments, Primary catchment management areas for E2 estuaries. ABLMC 2b A2b Catchments of free flowing rivers important for fish migration ABLMC Transformation Threshold Less than 10 % of total area of sub-quaternary catchment Less than 15 % of total area of sub-quaternary catchment Less than 20 % of total area of sub-quaternary catchment This means, for instance, that in a sub-quaternary catchment that has been identified as ABLMC 1, the extent of land transformation that should be allowed is less than 10% of the total area of that sub-quaternary catchment 7. 7 Note that development in all catchments remains subject to standard DWAF requirements regarding limits to reduction in mean annual runoff (MAR). 22

23 2.4.2 Assessing the impact of a development on an ABLMC If a land use change is planned in an ABLMC 1 or 2, its impact on the extent of transformation in that sub-quaternary catchment should be assessed. This should be done as follows: Firstly, find the extent of existing transformation in the catchment from the tables in the ECBCP (see Chapter 3, paragraph for how to do this in MapInfo); Secondly, check the area to see if any further transformation has taken place since these estimates were done. If this is the case, calculate the current percentage transformation of the sub-quaternary catchment; Finally, calculate whether the proposed development will exceed the recommended transformation threshold for that sub-quaternary catchment. Please note that development in all catchments is also subject to DWAF stream flow reduction authorisation. Box 11: Wetlands Wetlands include rivers, vleis and marshes, and help to purify water and to reduce flooding. South Africa has already lost over 50% of its wetlands due to development. As more wetlands are lost in an area, flooding increases and water can become polluted. Any proposed development near to wetlands should be carefully assessed to prevent further damage to wetlands. Seasonal wetlands are particularly vulnerable as they are easily overlooked at dry times of the year. 23

24 2.4.3 Guidelines for riverine, wetland and estuarine buffers Until national guidelines for riverine, wetland and estuarine buffers are established, the guidelines set out in this section should be applied. Table 7 recommends buffers for rivers. Table 7: Recommended buffers for rivers 8 River criterion used Mountain streams and upper foothills of all 1: rivers Lower foothills and lowland rivers of all 1: rivers All remaining 1: streams Buffer width (m) Rationale These longitudinal zones generally have more confined riparian zones than lower foothills and lowland rivers and are generally less threatened by agricultural practices. These longitudinal zones generally have less confined riparian zones than mountain streams and upper foothills and are generally more threatened by agricultural practices. These larger buffers are particularly important to lower the amount of crop-spray reaching the river. Generally smaller upland streams corresponding to mountain streams and upper foothills, smaller than those designated in the 1: rivers layer. They are assigned the riparian buffer required under South African legislation. Currently there is no accepted priority ranking system for wetlands. Until such a system is developed, it is recommended that a 50 m buffer be set for all wetlands. It is recommended that no new development be permitted below the 5m contour around an estuary. This would allow for the protection of most important estuarine ecosystem processes and drivers, other than upstream development pressures on estuaries, which are addressed through the catchment transformation thresholds. 8 This table and the estuarine buffer proposals are drawn from Snaddon et al. In prep

25 Chapter 3: How to Use the ECBCP Decision Support System: MapInfo User Guide Richard Hayes 3.1 Introduction The ECBCP is presented in three forms: Electronically (on CD ROM), viewed by means of MapInfo software; Electronically, on the internet at 9 and On posters (wall maps). The information on the CD is identical to that on the website, although presented in a slightly different format. This Chapter shows you how to install MapInfo on your machine, and then use it to view the ECBCP. Please note that MapInfo has its own manual and extensive help files. Please refer to them for tips on using MapInfo, by clicking Help/ProViewer Help Topic. A Geographic Information System (GIS) contains computer-generated maps (map layers) that can give you information about an object you can find on the map. The different map layers contain different sets of information, e.g. population, towns and rural communities, roads and rivers. Each layer is a database that is represented on a map. The advantage of a GIS over a paper map is that if this GIS were printed at 1:50,000, it would be fifteen metres wide and ten metres high and then the information would be difficult to read! 3.2 A note on terminology In this Chapter, we have kept to the standard Microsoft approved words for actions where ever possible, but just to ensure clarity here are a couple of definitions for you: Click Tap the left button of the mouse gently once. Double Click Tap the left button of the mouse gently twice. Right Click Tap the right button of the mouse gently once. Point Move the cursor till it rests on the place you want on the screen by moving the mouse. Drag Press your finger gently on the left mouse button and pull it in the direction required. Press <F1> Press a keyboard key, in this case the <F1> key. It is always difficult to convert what you see on an application into words and understandable symbols. This paragraph tells you how we have done it in this manual. 9 Please note that the website address of the ECBCP may change. If this occurs, please consult DEDEA or DWAF (contact details at the back of this Handbook) for further information. 25

26 Buttons are shown in text with angle brackets. E.g. <OK> Drop down boxes are identified by the adjacent label. E.g. View Entire Layer Button bar buttons are shown in text with a label and a graphic. E.g. Open File ( ). Drop down menus are shown as the master menu option and then the sub-option. E.g. Select / Find Pop-up menu. The option selected is in italics. E.g. Popup menu Previous View. Fields are identified by italicised labels. E.g. Zoom (Window Width). Forms are identified by the name in the title. E.g. View Entire Layer form. 3.3 Before you start The first thing that you need to check is that your computer can handle the MapInfo application. It is quite easy to do this, but if you have an IT department they will be able to help you: 1. Click on the Start button on your task bar. Please note that the following pictures were generated on an XP machine, so there might be small differences in the look and feel of the forms on your PC, but the basic procedure is fairly standard. 2. Click on the Control Panel option. A Control Panel Form should open. 26

27 3. Double click on the System icon. The icon is highlighted in the picture above. The System form should open and the computer information should be displayed as shown below. The information you need to know is shown inside the red boxes in the picture below. 4. Now you must check that your computer has more than the basic requirements. System: Your computer must have Microsoft Windows 2000, Windows XP or Vista. 27

28 Computer: Your computer must have more than 128 MB of RAM, and your hard drive must have 1.5 GB of free space. 5. Check that your computer has CD disk drive. 6. If is has these requirements, then you can begin to load MapInfo. 3.4 Installing MapInfo on your Machine There are two methods of installing MapInfo on your personal computer (PC) or laptop. 1. You can use the install shield on the CDs provided, OR 2. You can down load the file off the internet Installing from a CD This description assumes that you have been given a CD. Insert the CD into the CD drive. The PC will scan the disk, and a help file will open. This help file will guide you through the rest of the installation procedures. (This installation will also transfer the ECBCP files to your computer). Note: Please read the MapInfo End User Licence Agreement document that is included on the CD Downloading your MapInfo from the Internet If you want to download MapInfo from the internet, go to the MapInfo website ( ) and follow the directions for installing MapInfo as given on the site. Don t forget to register. MapInfo is completely free software, there is no payment involved. (You will need to transfer the ECBCP files from the CD to your computer yourself). 3.5 Navigating Around MapInfo Now that MapInfo and the ECBCP files are on your machine, you can start to use the system to: identify sites and areas in the Province at a range of scales see what land uses are suitable for the area, if biodiversity is to be conserved find areas where development will not have a negative impact on biodiversity find areas which are priorities for conservation of biodiversity, and see the reasons for the classification of each area. 1. To open the ECBCP, Click on the new MapInfo option in the Start menu. 28

29 The MapInfo application will open. The first form you should see is an Open MapInfo Tables or Workspaces form as shown below. If you don t see this form, then click the File Open button ( ) on the button bar. Click the down arrow of the Look in: drop down box and select Local Disk (C:) as shown below. 2. Click on the ECBCP folder and then click on the LAND_USE_Light.WOR file that is in the ECBCP folder, to open it. If you have a fast computer, you could open LAND_USE.WOR instead. It contains the same information, but also shows relief (land form). However, please note that it will work more slowly and that it is very difficult to print from LAND_USE.WOR. 3. Click on it and then click <Open>. The relevant forms should open. See the next picture. 29

30 You are now ready to start using the ECBCP with MapInfo Button Bar The button bar runs across the top of the MapInfo form. Note: MapInfo has an extensive and informative Help file and users manual. The ECBCP manual only covers the topics covered in those publications very briefly. Please refer to those publications for a more detailed description of application usage. For all ECBCP usage, please follow this manual. The buttons most commonly used are described below. Open file. This button opens the Open File form and allows you to retrieve the files that you want to view. Note that the required files have a.wor extension. Print button. Prints the selected window. Help file. Allows you to access the MapInfo help files. Pointer button. This is a Select Tool and can be used to select an object in the map window or a row in a table (browser list) window. Please see the MapInfo help files for a more detailed description. Zoom in button. Clicking on a map zooms the user into the map. Clicking and dragging zooms into the selected area. As you zoom in, more information becomes visible (e.g. relief, property boundaries, farm numbers, local roads, rural communities etc.) You may also just 30

31 click in the centre of an area you want to view. This zooms in by a factor of two. Please see the MapInfo help files for a more detailed description. Zoom out button. This zooms the user out of the map. Left click anywhere on the map and you will zoom out by a factor of two. Please see the MapInfo help files for a more detailed description. Grabber button. This button changes the mouse button to a hand. When you click on the left mouse button the hand grabs the map and moves it in the direction the mouse is moved. Please see the MapInfo help files for a more detailed description. Info Tool button. This button opens a box that provides important information on the location, land use class, etc in a form when you click on a site or area. More detail on the contents of the Info Tool box is given in the section below. Labels button. This button switches on the name of the object on which you click. Please see the MapInfo help files for a more detailed description. Ruler button. This button measures linear distances in kilometres. To make a measurement, click and release on the point where you want to start the measurement. Please see the MapInfo Help files for more specific details. For context sensitive help, point at the form you wish to query and press the <F1> button Legend button. This button switches the Legend form on and off. The map legend is a key to the different colours used on the map. Clicking on this button toggles the legend on and off. Please see the MapInfo help files for a more detailed description Menus This paragraph describes the drop down menu options. As with the Button Bar, the drop down menus are only described if they are used in the ECBCP. Note: Options are indicated by the menu they are part of then a / and then the actual menu. Thus Files / Close Table is the Close Table option in the Files drop down menu as shown below: The most commonly used menu options are discussed below. Select / Find This option opens a Find form and allows you to search for the criteria you have specified. In 3.6 below, you will find a description of how to use the Select / Find button. 31

32 Map / Previous View Map / Get Info Map / Select Layer Map / Get Info This option allows you to go back to the view you were on previous to the present one. This option provides geographical coordinates and size of selected objects. This option allows you to show only a single layer rather than all the layers as normal. We do not recommend that you do this as most of the other useful information is removed in the process. Please consult the MapInfo help file on the use of this menu option Right Click Pop Up Menus Pop up menus are available when the mouse cursor is pointing to an open window and act only on that window. The options available are: The most commonly used options are: Change View Previous View Get Info This option allows you to change the size of the window you are viewing. This option allows you to go back to the view you were on before the present one (this is the nearest to a back button that MapInfo has). This option allows you to see basic information about the area selected. 3.6 Using MapInfo This paragraph takes you through a step by step procedure of finding things on the maps provided, using the different tools provided by MapInfo How do I find a town? Open the MapInfo application and zoom into the map at more or less the scale you want to use. 1. Click the Window / towns Browser option. The towns browser should open. 32

33 2. Select the town you wish to view and click the black box next to the name of the town. 3. Click the drop down menu Select / Find Selection. The map should move to the town and the town should be highlighted How do I find a municipality? Open the MapInfo application. 1. Click the Window / municipality Browser option. The municipality browser should open. 33

34 2. Select the municipality you wish to view and click the square box next to the name of the municipality. 3. Click the drop down menu Select / Find Selection. The map should move to the municipality and the municipality should be highlighted. Note: If necessary MapInfo will zoom outwards or inwards to encompass the entire municipality Municipality Browser Information The municipality browser contains additional information in a series of columns which you can access by using the slider bar. The following graphic shows some of the additional columns. The following table gives a brief summary of the columns and the data they provide. Municipality Population Total Hectares Urban HAs This column provides the official name of the Municipality. This column provides an indication of the population of the Municipality. This column provides the total area of the Municipality in hectares. This column provides the total area of land covered by the towns and cities of the Municipality in hectares. Cultivated HAs This column provides the total area of cultivated land in the Municipality in hectares. Plantation HAs This column provides the total area under plantations in the Municipality in hectares. CBA1 HAs This column provides the total area of CBA1 land in the Municipality in hectares. Please note that this figure includes protected areas, even though they are shown as a separate category on the map of CBAs. CBA2 HAs Water HAs Natural HAs Degraded HAs This column provides the total area of CBA2 land in the Municipality in hectares. This column provides the total area of water in the Municipality in hectares. This column provides the total area of natural vegetation in the Municipality in hectares. This column provides the total area of degraded land in the Municipality in hectares. 34

35 3.6.3 Using the Info Tool The Info Tool provides information about an area, town or municipality. You can use the Info Tool in two ways. - Directly, or - Using the browsers Using the Info Tool Directly Click the Info button ( ) and then click the place of interest on the map. The Info Tool box will open and display the relevant information. If you click on the Municipality browser, the information on that specific municipality is shown Using the Info Tool box with the Browsers Open the browser of your choice and then select a town or municipality by double clicking on the selection box on the left hand side. The Info Tool box will open and display the relevant information Interpreting the Information in the Info Tool Box The Info Tool box does a search of the database that supports the ECBCP and produces all the data it can find on the area you have selected. A typical response will be as shown below. The bottom bar will tell you how many results were retrieved from the database. In the case of our example only four results were obtained from the database. If more than one result was retrieved from a specific table in the database, this bar will indicate it. An example might be 6 objects in 4 tables. 35

36 The first line on the form will tell you which municipality your mouse cursor is pointed at. If you click on this line of the form, it will give you more information about that municipality (population, hectares, etc.). The same applies to the other lines on the form. The land cover line on the form will tell you what the existing land cover (land use) is at that spot (cultivated land, towns and settlements, water, plantation, etc). Please note that if no land cover line is shown, this means that the area is a natural area, i.e. is covered mostly by natural vegetation. In LAND_USE_light.WOR, if the area on the map that your mouse cursor is pointing at is coloured dark green or light green (i.e. if it is a BLMC 1 or 2), the form will tell you whether the area was identified as a CBA 1 or CBA 2, and will set out briefly the reasons for this classification. For an explanation of these reasons, refer to Table 1 in Chapter 1 of this Handbook. Some areas are identified as CBAs for several reasons. Each of these is set out in a separate line on the Info Tool form. The Info Tool box also provides the BLMC classification of the site. Sometimes it will show two different BLMCs for the same site. In such situations, the map colour will indicate the correct BLMC. Some areas coloured light green on the map (BLMC 2) may have a CBA 1 classification in the table. The reason why they are not classified as BLMC 1 is due to their being in a degraded state How do I find a specific property? Open MapInfo as previously described. Note: The following description is for finding a farm. The procedure for searching for other things is much the same. Only searches for specific properties (farms), searches using longitude and latitude, and searches for rural communities are described here. Farms are identified in GIS in two ways: 1. Farm Number: A farm name is the official 20-digit cadastral number. If you get it right it should take you directly to the farm, as it is a unique number. 2. Farm Label: A farm label is a label provided by municipal or other authorities. It is not unique, so there could be many farms identified by a single farm label To find a farm using Farm Label: 1. Click the Select /Find option. The Find form will open. Click the <Respecify> button if the Respecify form is not yet open. 36

37 2. Select cadastral from the Search Table drop down box. 3. Select FARM_LABEL from the for Objects in Column drop down box. 4. Select municipality in the Refine Search with Table: drop down box. 5. Select municipality in the Using Boundary Name Column drop down box. 6. Click the <OK> button. The Find form should open. 7. Enter the farm label into the FARM_LABEL field. 8. Enter the municipality in the municipality field. We need to use the municipality because the farm label is not unique. 37

38 9. Click the <OK> button. The Find form should clear and the farm should be shown with an icon such as a red star. 10. If you get something wrong, the Find form will present you with all the possible variations. In the following example, the municipality Gariep is incorrectly spelt. MapInfo finds all the possible F108/0 farms and displays the possible municipalities. 11. Knowing that the farm is in the Gariep municipality allows us to click on the option and then click the <OK> button which will then mark the relevant farm. 38

39 12. Zoom in on the farm marked by in this case by a red star To find a farm using Farm Number 1. Click the Select /Find option. The Find form will open. Click the <Respecify> button if the Respecify form is not yet open. 2 Select cadastral from the Search Table drop down box. 3 Select FARM_NUMBER from the for Objects in Column drop down box. 4 Click OK. This will bring up a form where you can enter the farm number. Note Farm numbers all start with C. You can enter only a partial farm number. If you do a search like this, the bottom field will be populated with all possible iterations of the farm number you have entered. 39

40 If however the search you have made returns no results, MapInfo will return ALL the results possible. You can tell that this has happened by the first name in the list being aaaaaaaahmburg as shown below. You can either scroll down till you find the number or farm you are looking for or you can re-enter the search criteria and try again. Move up and down using the <Up> and <Down> buttons, then click on the required farm number and then click the OK button. The required farm will be centred on the map How do I find a site using longitude and latitude? In communal areas you may need to find a site using longitude and latitude. To do this: 1. Open MapInfo as previously described. 2. Once the map is open, zoom in so that you can see a town or village close to the area you wish to view. (You can also use the search function as described above to find the relevant city, town or village.) 3. Click on the value shown in the bottom left hand corner of the MapInfo window. 40

41 4. Select the Cursor location option. The window will close and the latitude and longitude will be shown in decimal format. Moving the mouse cursor shows the longitude and latitude of the tip of the mouse pointer. If you need degrees, minutes and seconds then multiply the decimal value by 60 to get the minutes and then the resulting decimal value to produce seconds. The following is an example of a decimal to degrees, minutes and seconds. For a value of degrees proceed as follows: 25 degrees X 60 = 34,014 i.e. 25 degrees, 34 minutes, X 60 = 0,84. Rounding up gives 1 second. The result is This description is to convert degrees, minutes and seconds to degrees and decimals. For a value of degrees = = = degrees How do I find a specific rural community? Just as with towns, municipalities and farms, small rural communities can be found using Select /Find. To do this: 1. Open MapInfo as previously described. 2. Once the map is open, zoom in so that you can see a town or village close to the area you are looking for. 3. Click the Select /Find option. The Find form will open. Click the <Respecify> button if the Respecify form is not yet open. 4. Select communities from the Search Table drop down box. 5. Click the <OK> button. The Find form should open. 41

42 6. Enter the name of the community into the into the placename field. Note that only the first 9 letters of the community name will be shown. 7. Click the <OK> button. The Find form should clear and the community should be shown with an icon such as a red star Finding the extent of transformation in a catchment To do this you will need to open the file CATCHMENT_light.WOR (as described for LAND_USE_light.WOR, see paragraph 3.5). Please note that if you are assessing a forestry application, you should instead open the file AFFORESTATION_POTENTIAL_light.WOR. 1. Having opened the Catchment workspace, locate the area you wish to view and if necessary, zoom in. 2. Click on the Info Tool button ( ) and the cursor will turn into a cross. 3. Click on the area of interest. An Info Tool box will open as shown below. 4. Click on the municipality line and the list will expand to show the municipality data as shown below. 42

43 Note: The bar at the bottom will have the name of the list you are viewing on the right hand side ( ). 5. Clicking the List button ( ) will take you back to the original list of municipality and catchment area. OR Click on the right double arrows button ( ) to view the Catchment data. You can also access the Catchment data by clicking on Catchment in the list that opens when you first click area of interest, or when you click the List button ( ). Note that the ABLMC classification of the sub-catchment is displayed in the Catchment data (in the example above, it is an ABLMC 1, because it is a CBA E3a). The extent and percentage of transformed land in the sub-catchment is also displayed (TRANSFORMED%) followed by the recommended transformation threshold for that sub-catchment (TRANSF_THRESHOLD%). This is followed by the amount of hectares that are still available for transformation (MAX_TRANSF_Has). In the example above, the percentage of the area already transformed (39%) is higher than the recommended transformation threshold (10%) and thus the number of hectares still available for transformation is zero (0.0). (It should be noted that the extent of existing transformation may be underestimated, as things may have changed since this data was collected.) If you are viewing AFFORESTATION_POTENTIAL_light.WOR, please note that: Areas shown in colour were those that were assessed in the ECBCP as having forestry potential. The Info Tool box contains an estimate of the extent of land in that subquaternary catchment that has forestry potential. This is shown in the line AFFOR_POT_HAs. (This figure excludes land classified as CBA 1 and 2.) The Info Tool box also lists the amount of land in that sub-quaternary catchment that was still available for afforestation at the time when this information was compiled (in the line AFFOR_MAX_HAs). 43

44 3.7 Creating a Report This paragraph is of necessity fairly general as the type and format of the report generated depends on your organisation s requirements Printing a map directly This is the standard Windows procedure. Click on the <Print> button of File / Print and the standard Windows window. Maps are better printed in landscape to fill the entire page rather than only part of the page. Note: Do not try to print from LAND_USE.WOR, CATCHMENT.WOR, or AFFORESTATION_POTENTIAL.WOR files, as the print file is too large to print both colours and relief Cutting and pasting into Word or Powerpoint We recommend that you use the FreeWare application Mr Snappy 95 (a copy is included on the CD). 1. Start the application by double clicking on the Mr Snappy 95 icon in the ECBCP directory. This will open the application and let it run in the background. 2. When you have located the information you need, press Ctrl-Shift-S and a Mr Snappy window will open. 3. Point with your mouse pointer to the top left corner of the image you want to capture, press down on the left mouse button and pull the mouse pointer down to enclose the area you want to capture. 4. Release the button when you have what you want. 5. Open the application you want to paste it into (e.g. Word), and click the <Paste> button or command. The image will be pasted into the application Enclosing a MapInfo object in a Word document You can drag and drop sections of MapInfo into MS Word. This method gives you a very clear image but unfortunately has a number of shortcomings. One is that the person reading the document has to have MapInfo installed on his or her machine. The other is that the file is enormous and many Internet Service Providers will not allow you to send the file. Anyone with a dial up connection will take a long time to download the file. We recommend that you do not use this method. It is documented in detail in the MapInfo manual should you wish to do your report this way. 44

45 Chapter 4: How to Use the ECBCP Decision Support System: Website User Guide Derek Berliner 4.1 Introduction This chapter provides instructions on how to use the website version of the ECBCP decision support system. The web-based version of the ECBCP is available at Please note that the information on the website is identical to that on the CD, although presented in a slightly different format. 4.2 Opening page The opening page of the website offers a number of options. Click on Enter Site to view the map. The initial map that is displayed is one of the Eastern Cape as a whole, as well as the edges of the surrounding provinces. At any time during operation of the map the "Google Maps" button at the top right of the map can be selected to view satellite imagery of roughly the same map area that is visible on the screen. 45

46 4.3 Screen Components The Eastern Cape map is subdivided into its District Municipalities. When you move your mouse over these districts they will highlighted and a tooltip with the name of the district is displayed. This interactive image is made up of layers that are turned on from within the "GIS Layers" tab of the Tabbed Control Box. 46

47 4.3.1 Toolbars and Controls The Navigation Tool Bar above the map has the following buttons: Home - Takes the user back to the home page ( Back - Takes the user back to the previous map they were viewing Mouse Tools: Selection tool - Used to interact with the active (switched on) layers of the map. Refer to Navigation and Map use Center tool - Allows the user to centre the map on a selected point Zoom in tool - Allows the user to zoom in by dragging a box over the desired area Zoom out - Zooms the map out Print - Allows the user to print the map that is currently on the screen Help - Brings up the user manual. The Tabbed Control Box has the following tabs: Search - Allows the user to navigate to a desired location(local Municipality, Coordinates, Town, Cadastre) Land Use - Displays the class name, permissible land use and conditional land use of a critical biodiversity area selected on map as well as allows you to view the cost data of the selected polygon 47